


What Money Cannot Buy

by Explicit



Category: David Bowie (Musician), Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Man Who Fell to Earth - Walter Tevis
Genre: Abduction, Abuse, Aliens, Course Language, Depression, F/M, Grief, Heavy Drinking, Isolation, Kidnapping, Multi, Murder, Smut, Some Underage Themes, Starving, Upsetting Scenes, Violence, distressing scenes, homeless, non-con elements, not a fluffy fic, viewer discretion is advised
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-05 23:03:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5393540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Explicit/pseuds/Explicit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas Newton notices a homeless woman and her two starving children: A 7 year old boy and a 13 year old girl. He soon invites them to live in his mansion, but he drinks heavily and frequently calls the woman 'Mary-Lou'. He makes her nervous but she wants her children to have a better life and overlooks Newton's misdemeanors because he is quite kind and never hurts them - Until she notices her daughter developing an unhealthy obsession with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Second Chances

The sky was overcast and the temperature throughout the city had made a dramatic drop since this morning, causing most people to bundle up in expectation of the oncoming snows. It was the beginning of winter and the first snowfall of the season had yet to make an appearance. A woman sat huddled in the nook of a building, her two, stick-thin children in her arms, shivering. People passed them by, often glancing the other way in a deliberate attempt to pretend they weren't there. That was nothing new to the woman, whose name was Joan. Her two children were quiet, they didn't complain or cry and she was thankful for this because it'd only add to their misery and stress her out even more. It was just a few short weeks until the holiday season and she had nothing to give them but her love and the promise of a hot meal in the soup kitchen, if she could get them there before they ran out of food and had to start turning people away. That had happened last year and they had suffered terribly, pawing desperately through garbage cans on Christmas Eve to find leftover Christmas dinner scraps and having to fight other homeless and needy people for every morsel. She was not entirely at fault for her situation, she had relied so heavily upon her ex-husband that when he left her for another woman, she was penniless. She didn't have a job, as he had insisted that she stay home and take care of the children, which she was more than happy to do because his job paid so much that she did not need to work and she did so love and adore her children very much.

 

She would do anything for them and it frustrated and hurt her that she could do very little for them now, except give them up to a better home. The thought had crossed her mind so often it just wasn't funny, but she simply could not bear to part from them and this in itself made her feel like a stubborn and selfish mother, thinking only of her own misery instead of her children's future.

 

Her daughter was twig thin, she had long blond hair and big green eyes. She was 13 years old and already had the look of maturity about her, having developed breasts at 11 years and hitting puberty before she was 12. Her eyes were dull and listless, not bright and curious like those of a teenage girl but half closed and vacant like an old woman who had suffered a hard life and was waiting patiently for death. Her name was Evelyn.

 

Joan's son was only 7 years old, he was a pale boy with jet black hair and deep blue eyes. He was a quiet and sullen little boy without an imagination, he had never really played with toys and he didn't say his first word until he was almost 5 years old. He used to line up his toys (when he'd actually had some) according to some secret and unknown code, whether it be colors or size or some other category only he was aware of but he never actually played with them like other children did. Joan suspected mental problems, but she had no insurance and could not afford a specialist to diagnose him officially. The boy's name was Aiden and he only spoke when he felt it was necessary, which wasn't very often at all due to the lack of other children to play with. It didn't bother him much, he found them more than just a little annoying and preferred his own company, feeling a lot like he just did not belong anywhere.

 

Joan herself was an unassuming but pretty woman, with brown hair and brown eyes, she was thin like her children and they were all grubby and wore whatever clothes they could scrape up from the donation bins whenever they were left open due to overflowing items that hadn't been collected yet.

 

What made this day different was the fact that there was a long, sleek, black car pulled up right in front of the step the little family was sitting upon. Joan dared not look up at the men who got out of the car, especially not the one who was apparently a very important man because the others rushed about to open the door for him and fussed over him like slathering dogs trying to impress their master.

 

"Right this way Mister Newton," one of the lackeys spoke quickly, standing between the man and Joan, trying to block her pathetic form from his line of sight.

 

Thomas had never really paid much attention to the people who lined the streets, begging for money and wearing tattered clothes, smelling of stale urine with alcohol clearly on their breath. He stole a quick glance at the young family on the step, Joan dared to look up at him only once and averted her gaze just as quickly, not wanting to incite the wrath of a clearly very rich man. She had been abused before, many times, as if simply gazing upon them would ruin them and their perfect lives. It was silly of course, as if being homeless was a disease that one could catch, yet they still shouted at her if she so much as looked like she might ask for a dollar from their overstuffed wallets. Thomas was being urged to move along, the men attempted to usher him away and eventually Thomas snapped out of his stare and obediently walked away with them to the office. Joan had not seen him around before, but she wasn't to know that Thomas despised the heat and this summer had been especially brutal.

 

Now that winter had finally arrived, Thomas felt more comfortable to come back into the country and oversee his personal projects himself and make sure everything was running smoothly. He stepped into the building, his lapdogs keeping the press out of his face and he hid his face from the relentless flashes of their cameras, ignoring their attempts at getting his attention and relaxing when he was finally inside and out of their reach. The woman's eyes were still in his mind, the desperation and the silent plea for help, her suffering children as they shivered and yet never once made a sound of complaint or whined about being miserable. It pained his heart, forcing him to think of his own wife and two children, left behind on a parched planet without enough water to sustain the entire population. He had a lot to get on with today, including a briefing in person now that he was back in the city for the next several months at least but no matter how busy he made himself, the little family outside never once left his mind.

 

Joan and her two children did not beg passers by for anything, but Joan did have an old tin that she had sitting discreetly just near her feet and every so often a kind soul would drop in a few coins or a half eaten piece of their lunch. She was grateful for anything, of course and nothing given to her ever went to waste, if she couldn't eat it or use it, she would sell it at the pawn shop for a few extra dollars, which always went on food or whatever else they desperately needed at the time. Their shoes were covered with plastic shopping bags, stuck there with tape to hold it in place because their shoes had worn out long ago and she simply could not afford to buy even second hand ones. Today had been a pitiful one, it was so cold that barely anyone had walked by and the few who had, ignored her and her children as if they were invisible. She could hear the gnawing growls and groans of her children's stomachs, but what could she do? It made her feel like crying, to know they were so hungry and yet they still refused to complain or even utter a whine of desperation. She knew they would have to go out again tonight and try to find some leftovers thrown out in the trash, it was a long walk to the richer neighborhood and they did not sleep well out in the streets, so exhaustion was catching up with them and she often had to carry Aiden after a while because he would just collapse to the ground and be unable to pick himself back up.

 

That evening, Thomas exited the building with the little family still fresh in his mind, their faces replaced with those of his own family, lost to him so long ago. As he approached their little step, he was crestfallen to notice that it was bare and they had gone, he paused to look for them and finally caught sight of their shuffling forms heading down into the alley.

 

"Mister Newton," one of his nameless lackeys urged him.

 

Thomas looked around at him, the man was holding the limo door open, waiting for Thomas to get in.

 

"Just a moment," Thomas told him firmly and the man winced but dared not argue, Thomas had a fearsome temper these days and was likely to fire him on the spot for something as innocent as questioning his logic.

 

Thomas was more than just a little conceited, he knew he was better than them, they were just insects really and he would always let them know it, he was rich, he could buy and sell them and then buy them back again if he chose to do so, he could do anything. Whatever he wanted, he got. He only had to demand it and it was his, he was never told no. The government was his only opposition, they were the only ones who could refuse him and get away with it, Thomas had little power in that area and that was why he was so intent on bringing his people down to Earth in the first place. They would assume human identities and take positions of power all over the world, claiming government titles and becoming all powerful to be able to run the world as they saw fit. That was the plan, it had been a good plan, it was just a pity he'd failed.

 

"Excuse me," Thomas called gently, hurrying after the disappearing family, "please.. "

 

Joan heard the call but assumed it was not directed at her, the tone was so gentle and the manner was so polite, it could never have been intended for her.

 

So when Thomas finally caught up and placed his hand softly on her shoulder, Joan startled and spun around, pushing her children behind her to keep them safe from harm. Thomas' men stood by the entrance to the alley, hands resting upon their pistols at their hips.

 

"What do you want?" Joan asked quickly, fear easily recognized in her wide and wild eyes.

 

"Please," Thomas felt awkward right now, "I don't mean you any harm."

 

Joan slowly relaxed her stance, this man was so gentle in the way he spoke to her, she almost felt safe in his presence.

 

"My name is Thomas," he introduced himself, "I couldn't help but notice you." 

 

Joan looked at him curiously, something about Thomas seemed a little off but she put it down to perhaps him being an eccentric, millionaires often were a little wrong in the head.


	2. A New Home

Joan looked past Thomas to his men, they made her anxious about even looking at Thomas let alone speak to him.

 

"I really have to go," Joan told him gently.

 

Thomas looked back at the men, gesturing for them to back off, which they did but very reluctantly.

 

"This might sound a little strange," Thomas turned back to the woman, "but you remind me of someone I used to know and I wondered if perhaps you would come and stay at my home?"

 

Joan was taken aback and just gaped at him in shock, Thomas took a step back in case he might have angered her somehow and his fearful expression somehow set Joan at ease. She recovered from her shock, but was in disbelief of his actual offer.

 

"You mean, for the night?" Joan wondered.

 

"For as long as you please," Thomas answered her, "if-if you want to. I would very much enjoy the company, I'm quite alone these days."

 

These days? Joan looked at Thomas more closely, he looked so very young and yet he spoke as if he were an old man, he was also quite beautiful, although she felt a bit odd thinking of a man as beautiful.

 

"Well Thomas, I must admit that I'd be a damned fool if I refused," Joan responded uncertainly, "I just don't understand it."

 

"I'm not asking you to understand," Thomas said softly and there were a few minutes of silent contemplation before Joan finally nodded, her heart racing with terror as a thousand kidnapping scenarios sped through her mind.

 

This man wanted her to come and live in his mansion, just because she reminded him of someone he used to know? It sounded more than a little strange, every part of her urged her to turn and run and not look back but there was one, tiny glimmer of something that had her rooted to the spot.

 

Hope.

 

"My name is Joan," she introduced herself, "these are my children, Evelyn and Aiden."

 

Thomas looked at the two small faces that peeked out from behind Joan, wide eyes big and round staring at him in amazement.

 

"So you will come?" Thomas wondered hopefully.

 

"Yes," Joan said quietly, "I really hope you're genuine Thomas, because I am very afraid right now."

 

Thomas already knew this, he could feel other people's emotions and it could make him feel very sluggish if he was around too big of a crowd.

 

"I hope you will calm soon then," Thomas gestured for them to follow him and he led them to his car, "because I wouldn't hurt anyone."

 

He truly meant that, he wouldn't hurt anyone and well, it's not like he actually could but he was still pretty sure he wouldn't do it either way. Joan was well aware that he could be telling her lies, she wondered what to do as she walked after him and she figured that surely this was a cruel prank. It seemed far too elaborate and out of the blue to be anything nasty like an abduction attempt, that sort of thing would have been planned out much more smoothly and the excuse wouldn't have sounded so obvious either. She felt that Thomas was truly genuine and she did her best to ignore the expressions of disgust upon the other men's faces when she and her children drew nearer to them, she knew there was a certain smell about her and the children but they honestly couldn't help that so she wasn't about to apologize for it and besides, Thomas didn't seem to mind it at all. That was a nice change, most people couldn't stand to get too close but this man, he was either very good at concealing how he felt or he just took no notice of it, either way, Joan was just happy to have met someone so seemingly kind. She and her children got into the car with Thomas, who put up the screen to divide them from the other men who sat in the front.

 

"So, where do you live?" asked Joan, once they had started to move.

 

"It is a bit of a drive I'm afraid," Thomas replied, hoping she wouldn't notice the slow pace the car was driving at.

 

"Oh I don't mind," Joan smiled politely at him, "I'm hardly in a position to complain."

 

Thomas looked at her strangely, she'd only been joking but he didn't seem to get it or perhaps he just didn't find it amusing. Thomas pulled open a compartment and offered Joan a drink, which she accepted graciously but it was alcohol, so she simply nursed it and took only a small sip just to set him at ease. Thomas didn't really care if she drank or not, it wasn't going to stop him from doing so and he finished two full glasses of gin before they finally arrived at his mansion. The silent ride didn't bother Joan too much, she didn't know what to say to him anyhow and when they all got out of the limo, Joan looked around at the huge front garden and just gaped. Her children stared with big, round eyes at the size of the building, craning their necks in order to see the very top floor. Thomas was already unlocking the front door and Joan urged her children to hurry along after him. The inside was not anything like she had expected and as her children began to move around and explore, Joan took note of the lack of scolding from Thomas. He didn't tell them not to run around, he didn't ask them not to touch anything and he didn't even warn them about breaking stuff. Thomas simply watched them as they looked around, growing bolder with the lack of stern rules being barked at them, despite the fact that they were expecting it.

 

"I'm afraid it is just me here, so I've nothing much to offer you," Thomas spoke regrettably, "if you would just write a list of items, I can have them brought here in no time."

 

"That's very kind of you," Joan said to him quietly, "thank you. I think a bath and some supper will be all for tonight, if that's okay?"

 

"Of course," Thomas nodded, "there's one just through there to your right."

 

He gestured and Joan ushered her two children into the bathroom, which was every bit as nice as she'd pictured it and even nicer.

 

"I don't get it," Evelyn spoke at last, "why is he letting us stay here?"

 

"I honestly don't know, sweetie," Joan knelt and bathed Aiden, who fussed and squirmed, "but he does seem very nice and I only want what's best for you and your brother, so let's try and make sure we don't upset Mister Newton, alright?"

 

"Okay," Evelyn nodded, slipping into the shower stall and sliding the screen shut.

 

She was keen to get to know the man who had saved them from freezing this winter, so if her mother asked her to be on her best behavior to avoid getting kicked out, then she most certainly would.

 

After they had all washed, it felt strange to crawl back into their muddy clothes but as usual her children didn't complain and Joan adapted to it with the knowledge that the sooner she got that list written up, the quicker they could have some nicer things to put on. They went to the kitchen and found some fruit, but nothing much else to eat and so they settled on some bananas and a few slices of apple. There was nothing but gin everywhere she looked, so Joan had to get some water from the tap and then Thomas reappeared to show them to their rooms.

 

"I do have staff," Thomas warned them, "so please don't feel obligated to clean anything."

 

Joan watched him wander off without another word and tucked Aiden into his bed, the room was bare and had only the bed in it but she could probably push her luck and ask for a few toys to brighten it up a little. Aiden closed his eyes and Joan smiled as he went right to sleep, his peaceful little face brought tears to her eyes as she hadn't seen him safely tucked into a real bed for a long, long time. Evelyn was already in her room, it had a bed, a small bedside table and a vanity with nothing in nor on it.

 

"Alright?" Joan asked her, standing in the doorway. Evelyn turned around and smiled happily.

 

"I'm fine," Evelyn nodded, "isn't this place the best?"

 

Joan smiled back at her.

 

"It sure seems that way," Joan answered her, "now hop into bed, tomorrow is going to be much better."

 

Evelyn got into bed and settled down under the covers, the entire mansion was cold but not freezing and it felt good to snuggle down into the blankets.

 

Joan switched off the lights and spent some time looking around, trying to mentally map the place and she found Thomas in one of the rooms. He stood by the window, just staring out of it with a bottle of gin in his hand and the room resembled an office.

 

"Sorry," Joan apologized quickly, startling Thomas, who looked around at her.

 

"Did you want something?" Thomas wondered.

 

"Um, no," Joan replied uncertainly, "I was just going to bed."

 

"Alright then," Thomas leaned against the wall tiredly, "goodnight Mary-Lou."

 

Joan stared at him and hesitated to correct him, not wanting to upset him in fear of being kicked out.

 

"Goodnight Thomas," Joan responded and she noted his furrowed brow before she left and went to bed.

 

Thomas stared hazily out the window, taking another gulp of gin or six before setting the empty bottle down and reaching for another. Why hadn't she called him Tommy, the way she always did? 

 

Joan walked into the bedroom Thomas had directed her to, it was fully furnished and even had some clothes in the closet that she could wear. They smelled of perfume and she could only guess that they once belonged to someone else, they were not Newton's size and she just didn't see the soft spoken gentleman putting on a frock anytime soon. She smiled as she tossed aside her grubby clothes and put on a night gown, feeling the silken fabric glide smoothly against her bare flesh. Joan looked around and inspected the drawers at the vanity, which had perfume and make up all over it along with a hairbrush and comb. Locating a pen and some paper, she spent more than an hour making out a well thought-out list and set it onto the bedside table. She then yawned and got into the bed and sank down into the soft mattress, the blankets were so warm and she was so comfortable, Joan easily fell asleep within minutes.


	3. Making Sure They Never Want To Leave

Thomas needed very little sleep, though due to his constant drinking he did tend to pass out from time to time but only for a few minutes here and there. Every once in a while he did sleep for a few hours, just not very often and tonight was not such a night. He wandered into Mary-Lou's bedroom, it had never been hers because she had never lived here but he kept anything of hers that he managed to find and placed them within this very room. He opened up her closet and took one of her dresses, holding it to his face and burying his nose into it, taking a long, deep breath through his nose to try and find her faded scent within the fabric.

 

"Mary-Lou," he murmured into the dress, turning sharply when Joan shifted in her bed.

 

Thomas put the dress back and walked slowly over to the bed, gazing down at the dark hair sprawled out over the white pillows and he smiled faintly. There she was, safe and fast asleep. Something on the night stand caught his eye and he picked it up, a list of items was written out carefully upon the same stationary Thomas had given Mary-Lou to use a long time ago. Forgetting that he'd asked Joan for such a list, Thomas thought it to be Mary-Lou's shopping list and so he left the room silently, going over to his phone and taking out his credit card. He picked up the phone book, sat down and began to dial and order everything on the list, plus a lot more things that he figured might be of some interest to the young family. His family, his wife and his children, their faces swirled around in his mind as he felt quite pleased for having found them. Every time he was placed on hold, Thomas would set the phone down carefully and grab up a bottle of gin, it was pretty much his entire diet with fruit and eggs making up the other ten percent.

 

By the time Joan woke up at around ten thirty the next day, she felt so lazy for having slept so late! But hold on, how could she possibly have known what time it was? She quickly sat up in bed, her eyes suddenly wide open as she stared around at her bedroom. Much of it remained as it was but there were new curtains, a beautiful lamp and a clock on the bedside table. There was so much more and she put her hand over her mouth in awe, she heard excited sounds coming from outside her bedroom, so she quickly got out of bed and hurried over to the door. There was a lovely robe hanging from the hook, she grabbed it and put it on and went out into the hallway to see what the commotion was about. She first went into Evelyn's bedroom, she was just about squealing and jumping around with teenage girl giggles.

 

"It's like Christmas!" Evelyn smiled broadly at her mother.

 

Joan looked around, Evelyn's bedroom was completely decked out with everything she had asked for and then some more things she hadn't even thought of. Evelyn got undressed quickly, tossing aside her filthy rags and rummaging around in a drawer, she pulled out a couple of bras and tried them on until one of them fit perfectly, then she tried on the panties and finally, she decided on a short skirt and a half t-shirt. Joan disapproved of the revealing clothing, having been brought up in a strict home where clothing like that could earn you a tanned hide and not the animal-skin sort either! But her daughter seemed so happy, Joan did not have the heart to start up an argument with her, she hadn't seen Eveyln this happy even when they had a home of their own to live in and a father providing for them.

 

"There's even make-up and perfume and !!" Evelyn was gushing, her face red with excitement at being able to dress up and look like a proper teenager.

 

Joan smiled again and went to Aiden's bedroom, she pushed open the door and stood back, it really did look like Christmas in here!

 

"Mommy! Mommy!" Aiden called to her, his little face lit up and his eyes shone brighter than they ever had before.

 

He ran over to her and hugged her, wearing top quality little boy's clothes and showing her a firetruck and a police car that were making sounds and flashing lights. Joan knelt down and fussed over the toys, exciting the lad even more and as she gazed around, she thought Aiden's bedroom looked a lot like a toy store display.

 

"Oh but this is too much!" gasped Joan, she could see a model train running on a track and all kinds of books on the shelves, stuffed toys covered the bed and there was just so much more!

 

Joan felt dizzy, had Thomas found her list last night? How had he managed to get all of this done in the dead of night when everything was closed?! Evelyn came to look into Aiden's room and she gasped, pleased that her little brother was so excited and happy. Aiden was flapping his hands and jumping as he spun around, Joan thought he may just take flight if he got any more worked up.

 

Joan turned and wandered back out into the hallway, she wanted to find Thomas and thank him repeatedly, there weren't any words to describe how she felt just now and she realized as she looked around that the mansion was decorated with everything she had listed. The kitchen was over stuffed with food, the fridge and the freezer were packed and the cupboards were crammed. She felt dizzy and overwhelmed, so she opened the kitchen window for some air and gaped once again. The backyard was incredible, complete with a fenced-in swimming pool, playground equipment, BBQ area and it just went on and on.

 

"Oh dear, Thomas," Joan murmured, "you have spoiled us!"

 

"Not at all, Mary-Lou," Thomas spoke from behind her, "why don't you call me Tommy anymore?"

 

Joan startled at his sudden appearance in the kitchen, she spun around and sighed with relief but she had no idea what she thought she might have been afraid of. Thinking quickly about his question, she decided that it was probably best if she just played along, it couldn't hurt and if he was driven to the point of being so lonely that he believed he'd found this lost woman, then who was she to burst his bubble? As long as he was happy, perhaps they could all be happy and stay that way, as long as she played the part that had been given to her.

 

"I erm," Joan hesitated, looking into his big, blue eyes and feeling her heart beating much faster and her face burning quite hot, "I didn't think you liked it is all."

 

Thomas offered her a soft smile, it was faint and barely there at all but she had definitely noticed it.

 

"I got used to it," Thomas replied quietly, "would you please do it from now on? Please?"

 

Joan nodded to him and his shoulders relaxed.

 

"I can never repay you for any of this," Joan said with a worried crease to her brow, "I can not thank you enough."

 

Thomas just inclined his head at her and lifted his bottle of gin, drinking from it without a word. Joan cast her gaze aside, those bottles were everywhere she looked and she was afraid that her children might grow curious and drink from one of them, but how could she bring this up to Thomas in his own home? Who was she to ask him to mind where he put his alcohol?

 

"Mary-Lou?" Thomas brought her abruptly out of her thoughts, "are you alright?"

 

"I'm fine Thoma-Um-Tommy," Joan smiled at him, "I was just thinking about my children and, well, the gin."

 

Thomas frowned at her.

 

"Children shouldn't have gin," he scolded her gently, "I shall keep it hidden from them, would you care for some?"

 

Joan wasn't keen on gin and she certainly wasn't eager to drink this early in the day.

 

"No, thank you," Joan refused politely.

 

"I can put sugar in it," Thomas enthused, "the way you like it."

 

Joan looked at him curiously, what a strange thing to put into a glass of gin.

 

"Maybe later," she said softly, "there's so much to do, I have to enroll the children into school and - "

 

"Oh there's plenty of time to do all of that," Thomas told her with a tilt of his head, "settle in. Enjoy yourself and relax, my home is yours."

 

He wandered off and Joan was confused, he made her nervous with how much he drank and the way he sort of drifted from calling her Mary-Lou to welcoming her as a stranger into his home so effortlessly. Still, he had done nothing to actually cause her any real concern or feel threatened, so she would just have to adapt to his confusing ways, putting it down to being drunk and incredibly lonely. Poor guy, she hoped he would come good with her and the children being there and not feel so compelled to be constantly drinking.

 

Joan found that living with Thomas had far more perks than she'd anticipated, in the weeks leading up to the holidays he had given her a credit card without a limit, enrolled her children into the best school available and had found numerous resources to assist Aiden with his development. Joan loved the physiotherapists and the speech pathologists, she finally got Aiden his diagnosis and he was getting all the help he needed for a better quality of life. It was like a dream come true for all of them, but as happy as they were for now, things were about to change and this time, not for the better.


	4. Almost One Year Later

One evening after dinner, Evelyn left the dining room and Joan assumed she was going to her bedroom but Evelyn wandered off in search of Thomas. She had just turned fourteen and her mother had thrown her the best party ever, but she'd not seen Thomas all day and wondered where he'd got to. He was a kind, polite young man and even though she had seen him in his office, shouting and getting furious at the people on those odd, little phones that looked like tiny television screens, she'd never, ever been shouted at by him, nor had Aiden or Joan. Aiden had even smashed a vase by accident one day, right in front of Thomas and he'd barely even flinched, not a single utterance or scowl of annoyance. They saw him quite infrequently, it mystified Evelyn and she grew more and more curious about him by the day. She loved her new school, adored her cute clothes and then she realized she hadn't even thanked him herself for such a wonderful opportunity as the one he'd provided her and her family with.

 

She finally located him, right up on the fourth floor, laying on a bed. The room was bare except for this bed, so she figured it must be the one he slept in when he got tired.

 

"Mister Newton?" Evelyn ventured.

 

Thomas was on his bed, several empty gin bottles adorned the mattress and he held a half full one in his hand. At the sound of her voice, he sat up and looked at her with a furrowed brow. She could tell he was a little spaced out but she walked over to him anyway and sat down on the bed with him.

 

"Mister Newton, it's my birthday today," Evelyn informed him.

 

"Oh," Thomas felt badly, "I didn't get you anything."

 

Evelyn smiled at him, watching him look mournful and take another swig of the gin.

 

"Could I ask something of you?" Evelyn wondered.

 

"Yes," Thomas nodded, it was her birthday, of course she could ask for a gift.

 

"You're so rich Mister Newton," Evelyn said quietly.

 

"Yes," Thomas smirked a little, his eyes half closed as he felt suddenly quite tired.

 

It's why he had come up here in the first place, because he had felt drowsy.

 

"So rich that I could ask for anything and you'd just give it to me, right Thomas?" Evelyn dropped the formalities and he didn't even seem to notice.

 

"Of course," Thomas answered her and looked at her directly now.

 

"But what I want from you cannot be bought," Evelyn scooted closer to him on the bed and leaned her body against his.

 

Thomas looked mildly amused and somewhat puzzled.

 

"Everything can be bought, Evelyn," Thomas said to her firmly, "what do you want from me?" 

 

Evelyn reached towards him and began to unbutton his shirt, he took no notice and drank from his gin bottle again.

 

"Do you want me to put on my pajamas?" Thomas finally wondered, as Evelyn took his shirt off slowly.

 

She sat back and whisked off her shirt and bra, exposing her breasts to him and hoping he would touch and fondle them but Thomas barely gave them a half hearted glance.

 

"Maybe I'm not being clear enough?" Evelyn said softly, running her hand firmly up along his thigh until she gingerly prodded at his crotch with her fingertips.

 

Thomas shifted uncomfortably but his body responded to her touch, making him become erect the more she prodded and stroked him through his trousers.

 

"N-No," Thomas spoke through his haze, "you uh, you shouldn't be do, doing that."

 

Evelyn began to lean forwards, she kissed his lips softly and then his cheek and then his lips again, still stroking between his thighs. She knew he was drunk, it made him that much more vulnerable and she was keen to have her first fuck with him because she knew him and she trusted him, she knew he would be gentle and treat her with tenderness and care, not like the boys her own age, what an immature bunch of prats they were. Joan had been looking for her daughter since she'd checked on her and found out that she wasn't in her bedroom at all, she was quickly approaching the bedroom where Evelyn and Thomas were sitting together on the bed and she was checking each room on the way there.

 

"Doesn't it feel good, Thomas?" Evelyn whispered, her lips moving against his cheek, "would you touch me please?"

 

Thomas felt her hand reaching down into his pants now, she'd unzipped him and now wrapped her fingers around his cock, releasing it gently and exposing it with a gasp at his large size, maybe she was going to have to come back another night and in the meantime she would have to locate some sort of lubrication because there was no way that thing was going to fit inside of her tight, little pussy.

 

"Stop," Thomas looked upset and pushed back from her, tucking his cock back into his pants and casting his gaze away from her.

 

He was afraid, he was not very strong and Evelyn could hurt him quite easily but the girl had no idea and was very confused as to why he seemed so worried. She tried again, pushing him down onto his back and straddling him, she leaned down so they were chest to chest and she began to kiss him. He felt her breasts pressing against his bare chest, her hips were grinding against his crotch and her tongue was probing around in his mouth. Thomas placed his hands hesitantly on her hips, she moaned and he slid his hands right up over her ribs to her breasts but slid them past those and instead grasped her shoulders and tried to move her off him but she pressed down and he couldn't budge her.

 

"Mmf!" Thomas tried to protest but Evelyn took the sound as a groan of pleasure and ground her hips harder into his crotch.

 

It felt really nice, his eyes closed and he hummed softly, responding at last to her forceful kisses, which only encouraged her to continue. She shoved his hand up to her breast, shifting and moaning when he grasped them at last and gave them a firm squeeze. Now that he was compliant, Evelyn relaxed and thrilled at the prospect of gaining his affections, maybe they could even be boyfriend and girlfriend!

 

Joan then walked right in on the scene, her hand flew to cover her mouth and she took a few steps back, eyes wide in shock. Thomas and Evelyn had no idea she was there, or that she was watching them and she hurried out of the room very quickly! Thomas then turned his head, breaking the kiss and breathing heavily.

 

"Please! Stop!" he cried out gently and Evelyn paused, sitting up and shifting off him finally.

 

"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked him, "don't you think I'm sexy? I dolled up just for you in my tightest fitting clothes!"

 

Thomas turned away from her, ashamed of his erection and wanting her to not be here right now.

 

"Please," he said softly, "I want Mary-Lou, I can't cheat on her!"

 

Evelyn narrowed her eyes, Mary-Lou was what Thomas called her mother for some reason she didn't quite understand, so she fumed jealously and started hitting him. Thomas held up his arm to deflect her blows, then she grabbed her clothes and left the room, angry and in tears.

 

Joan was back in the kitchen, shaken by what she had seen and without an idea in her head as to what she could do about it. She decided that she would not make the same mistake she had made before, by relying exclusively on Thomas for everything she was placing both herself and her children at his mercy. She could do nothing to oppose him because if he got angry and kicked them out, they would be right back on the street where they had started, so in that moment she decided to try and fix herself up and get out there to find a job that would pay her enough to be able to support her family without Newton's help. She appreciated what he'd done but it was high time she stepped in and took over the role of family provider, especially if he was going to be groping and sexualizing her fourteen year old daughter! She wouldn't stand for that, she decided that she needed to have a long talk to both Thomas and Evelyn, but seperately and she had to choose her words very carefully because she didn't want to embarrass or upset either one of them.

 

Thomas curled up in his bed, he had excellent hearing and could never be crept up on unless he was very distracted so when Joan approached his room again, he was aware of her and he slowly sat up to look around at her.

 

Joan was ready with her firm words, she was armed and prepared to fire her little warning speech at him but when she saw him, her heart grew too soft and she couldn't go through with it. His eyes were big and round, the tears shimmering within them lit up how blue and very sad they were. Her gaze fell to his arm, which he was cradling and she was shocked to notice such a large bruise on it, as if he had been beaten with bricks!

 

"What happened?!" she forgot her anger and rushed over to him, pulling his arm gently towards her and examining it carefully.

 

"Mary-Lou," Thomas sounded relieved, then he passed out and Joan was unsure what to do.

 

"Tommy?" she urged him, "Tommy, wake up, please?"

 

She set down his arm and hurried off to get a bandage, she was just finishing wrapping his bruised arm when he started to wake up at last.

 

"Did I fall asleep?" Thomas asked her, sitting up and wincing as his arm hurt.

 

"I hope so," Joan replied, looking at him with concern, "if you're that tired, you should go back to sleep."

 

Thomas shivered and Joan got his shirt, but Thomas insisted that he wear his pajamas and so she helped him to put them on.

 

She caught a glimpse of his dick and thrilled at the size of it, wanting it for herself all of a sudden. Well why not? If this Mary-Lou woman was his girlfriend, then she was already privy to having his cock inside of her, wasn't she? And if she married him, then he couldn't kick her out without divorcing her and she'd get some of his money anyway. It'd keep him away from Evelyn, so it was win-win, right?

 

Thomas was already asleep when she stopped daydreaming, so Joan left him for the time being and decided to test out her plan when he next awoke and she hoped that he was permissible because it had been years since she'd had sex and despite what she'd caught him doing, she found him perfect for her in every other way. Sure, he had his faults like drinking too much but who was perfect? He never abused her or the children, never shouted at them or tried to hit them, his drinking just seemed to blur the lines of reality for him.

 

Joan was still wondering how he had managed to bruise himself so badly, he had not moved from his bed since she was up there and his arm had been fine at that time. She sat down and sighed, perhaps she could talk to Evelyn first, rather than try to keep Newton's attention as he drifted in and out of sleep mode. Joan had become quite fond of Thomas and had tried to flirt with him a lot but he just seemed to be immune to her advances and she hated to imagine that he was only interested in very young girls like Evelyn.

 

She stood up and walked towards Evelyn's bedroom, but she paused at the door and she heard a strange sound coming from behind the door. She carefully turned the door knob but it was locked and wouldn't budge open, so Joan got frustrated and decided that perhaps tomorrow morning she would take aside her daughter and have a stern word with her then.


	5. Attraction

In her bedroom, Evelyn was masturbating just with her fingers and she was softly chanting Thomas' name over and over, moaning loudly as she came and then she cried out his name loudly as she reached her peak but hoped that nobody had heard her! She then sighed dreamily and thought she would try again, but not for a while because she needed to get him alone with nobody else in the whole house, perhaps then he might feel bolder to entertain her desires.

 

Thomas moaned in his sleep and was restless all night, he knew his arm was fractured and it was causing him a lot of pain, so he got up in the early hours of pre-dawn and took some of his special pills before seeking the warmth of Mary-Lou's bed and crawling in beside Joan. She awoke with a start, but relaxed when he fell asleep right beside her and she closed her eyes, falling back to sleep herself. Being with Thomas had certainly changed her life, he'd given her back everything she had lost and she'd gained so much more on top of that. Everywhere she went, she was treated with respect and among the people who worked for Thomas, she noticed they all reacted fearfully around her and her children because Thomas was very protective of his new family and had warned them to never let anything bad happen to them but Joan was not aware of this part, she just liked the way people would scramble and trip over themselves to do whatever she asked of them.

 

Aiden was growing in confidence as well as muscle and body tone, he was not the frail little boy she had once had to carry around with her looking for bits of food in the trash, he had found some equipment and once he was strong enough, had begun to use them frequently and was determined to be a big, strong and muscular man one day. He and Thomas had really hit it off from day one, Aiden seemed to take an instant liking to the peculiar Mister Newton and more often than not he could be found sitting and talking the poor guy's ear off in the den or asking him non-stop questions about space. This didn't strike Joan as odd until she realized that Aiden had never asked about space before, he had never shown any interest in it at all and apart from the stars and the sun and the moon, he'd never been taught about space before. This had started before Aiden had gone to his new school, so it was a mystery to Joan but little Aiden was an excellent secret keeper and Thomas had felt a connection of isolation and loneliness in Aiden, so he had let the boy in on his secret and told him everything he could recall about his home world. He sang the songs he remembered in his own native language, recited poetry that he'd written himself in the same tongue and Aiden was fascinated by it all. Thomas grew closer to the boy than anyone else, genuine affection and love flowed from the kid and Thomas was quite happy to both receive it and return it, accepting Aiden as his own flesh and blood and eventually he was unable to see Aiden as human anymore. This was his son now and Aiden never questioned nor corrected Thomas and even started calling him 'Dad' whenever Joan wasn't within earshot. This made Thomas feel pleased and he hadn't been very happy in a long, long time, so it was a nice change and while he was still drinking the pain of loss and loneliness away, he found that he needed a little less each day to make the hurt cease into a dull throb. They became inseparable, just as a father and son ought to be and Aiden had even started speaking the language of Anthea, Thomas' home planet but Joan ignored the gibberish and just assumed it was part of his development issues.

 

That morning, Thomas came down from his room after Aiden and Evelyn were at school and Joan was sitting at the dining table, looking at the newspaper and annoyed with herself for not talking sternly to Evelyn because she'd been so bright and cheerful this morning and Joan didn't want her to go to school in a foul mood - What if she ran away?

 

"You're all dressed up," Thomas noted.

 

Joan looked up at him and smiled a little.

 

"I'm thinking of going in for a job interview," she told him.

 

"A job?" Thomas repeated, "but why? You have a job already, Mary-Lou. You take care of me, I need you here, you mustn't leave me all alone, not again, please."

 

Joan pursed her lips.

 

"Tommy, a relationship is not supposed to be built on loneliness," she argued with him, "that's not a strong foundation."

 

"I don't care!" Thomas got upset very quickly, "you're not leaving, do you hear me?"

 

Joan felt badly for making him so angry, but his even tone unnerved her and she felt afraid of him for the first time.

 

"I don't mean to seem ungrateful," she said softly, "but I need to learn how to stand on my own two feet and support my children, can you understand that?"

 

Thomas looked more visibly upset and stormed out of the room, grasping a gin bottle on his way and heading upstairs. Joan sighed and rested her forehead upon the table, that could have gone better, now what would she do if he got so angry that he kicked her out? He could take Aiden and Evelyn, he was so rich, the courts wouldn't dare touch him and then where would she be?

 

Joan gulped and lifted her head, deciding she ought to apologize and at least attempt to smooth things over before he got any such ideas into his head. She stood up and followed after him, catching his arm before he could enter any rooms and shut her out.

 

"Tommy I want to apologize," she insisted, as he pulled away from her and she gripped his arm harder.

 

Thomas yelped and sank to his knees, wincing and lowering his head, panting heavily and Joan quickly let go of his arm, she hadn't realized it was the bruised one because he wore long sleeves today.

 

"I am so, so sorry!" Joan knelt down but held back from touching him again, she felt so badly for having hurt him.

 

Thomas sat back against the wall, the dizzying pain blurring his vision and making him feel weak and tired but he fought against passing out because he hated it when that happened. It left him completely helpless and exposed to attack, not that anyone here would do such a thing but being as rich and as important as he was, Thomas did indeed have enemies and if they should ever come here, he wanted to be awake and ready to confront them. Or, you know, cringe in the corner and let his guards take care of it.

 

"Don't leave, Mary-Lou," Thomas said softly, "please, please?"

 

Joan felt an incredible wave of sadness wash through her body as his gaze lifted to hers, she'd never seen anyone look so damned sad in her entire life, not even when she had looked in the mirror on her worst days, he was all alone and she was threatening to make sure he stayed that way, she felt like a cruel and cold hearted bitch.

 

"I won't leave you again, Tommy," Joan spoke to him at last, "but I do get incredibly bored just sitting around here all day, would it be alright to get a job and just still stay here with you?"

 

Thomas slowly nodded, keeping his gaze cast away from her suddenly because he knew she was telling him lies and Joan sensed as much and it made her feel that much worse but she had to protect her children and she had to learn how to fend for herself, for who could tell when this wonderful dream would end?

 

"Tommy," Joan whispered, shifting closer to him and placing her arm carefully around his thin, trembling shoulders, "would you make love to me, Tommy?"

 

His gaze lifted once more, searching her eyes curiously.

 

"Yes," Thomas responded favorably, "yes, of course Mary-Lou."

 

Joan smiled at him, stroking his cheek and enjoying his soft skin, it didn't feel quite right but then, he was so pretty and so beautiful that it didn't really matter.

 

"You do still love me, then?" Thomas wondered.

 

"Absolutely," Joan answered him without pause.

 

"So, you will stay?" Thomas urged her, "and never leave?"

 

Joan knew she just couldn't do it, how could she willingly walk out on him and not feel like a complete ass?

 

"If that's what you want, Tommy," Joan nodded.

 

"It is, Mary-Lou," Thomas nodded, "oh, it is!"

 

He had brightened up considerably and Joan leaned forwards, meeting him in a soft kiss that quickly became more passionate and she felt her body heating up so fast at his soft groans and hums into her mouth. It had been years since a man had even looked at her with a kind smile, let alone desired her touch and wanted to touch her in return and Joan was not about to discourage him as she felt his hands begin to explore her body. Thomas slid them up under her blouse, squeezing her breasts and pushing her bra up and away from them so he could pinch and thumb her nipples.

 

"Mmm," Thomas hummed at how they felt.

 

Joan hurriedly discarded her blouse and her bra, quickly getting to work on his shirt and jacket.

 

Thomas helped her get his clothes off and they were soon both completely nude, but still on the floor in the hallway. Joan broke their kiss and she looked at his body, it was so thin and yet she found it strangely beautiful and she longed to touch him a lot more.

 

"Take me to your bed, Tommy," Joan cooed at him, "make me yours again."


	6. Always Listen

Further in the city, a few hours away from where Thomas was currently residing, there were some men who had ideas of their own regarding the safety of Joan and her children. They didn't know who she was, or where she had come from but they had been made aware that Thomas Newton was no longer living alone and this went against all of their plans! They were hired by a strong rival company which was the only one World Enterprises (which was the name of Newton's company) hadn't managed to topple yet. They had been employed to make Thomas miserable, to frighten him and make him paranoid, to chase off and scare away anyone who might make him feel safe or happy. Nobody could understand how Newton was still alive and some often believed that perhaps he was cloning himself or something, nothing was impossible it seemed when it came to theories about him.

 

They couldn't kill him, it'd be too easy for the company's bottomless funds to be used to track them down, they had to be sneakier than that and try to make him kill himself and so far he was drinking himself into isolation, paranoia and depression and that was a pretty solid first step. Especially with the hired men making him more nervous by sometimes letting themselves be seen by him for just a moment, aiming a pistol at him or smiling and showing their teeth at him menacingly. It fueled his belief that someone was trying to hurt him and it kept him locked inside his home for a lot of the time but now that he had someone else in the house with him, it was going to be harder to make him kill himself. Then again, an idea sprang into the mind of one of the men and he suddenly gave a broad smile to his fellows.

 

"I've just had an idea," he grinned, "we take them away from him and leave a note saying they left and not to look for them, then we kill them and let their bodies get found, he's sure to do it this time!"

 

Nods and excited chatter of agreement soon followed and he was given strong slaps on his back for being so clever!

 

All they had to do now was come up with a plan but first, they would need to watch the movements of the woman and her children so they could best determine when it was optimal for them to strike. They needed to kidnap the whole three of them together, so Thomas wouldn't get wise to the plan and try to stop them. But that was going to take them quite some time, for they were good at their jobs and everything needed to be absolutely timed to the split second and there was simply no margin for error.

 

 

Back at the mansion, Thomas was showing Joan how it was done right and she was falling in love with him because he made love to her so gentle and soft, he was easily the kindest lover she had ever been with and Thomas knew that he could easily have been just a little rougher but he loved her and didn't want to unless she asked him to. After they were done, Joan kissed Thomas and cuddled with him for more than an hour and he was perfectly content to stay there but became agitated and fidgety after that so she left him alone to find the nearest bottle of gin and she went to take a shower. A few minutes in and Thomas surprised Joan, she giggled and they took a most naughty shower together!

 

When it was time for the children to return home, Thomas was waiting for Aiden in the kitchen and the boy ran right up to him as soon as he was in the door and hugged Thomas tightly. Thomas knelt down and hugged the boy right back, but Aiden never went to his mother anymore and he barely even spoke to her even when she asked him about his day and Joan felt that he was pushing her away.

 

Evelyn got home and went straight to her room, the way any typical teenager would and she was still keen to try and get Thomas into her panties somehow when Joan walked into her bedroom.

 

"What?" Evelyn asked, annoyed that her mother didn't even knock first.

 

"I was thinking of getting a job," Joan told her daughter, "what do you think of getting our own place?"

 

"I like it here!" Evelyn shrieked loudly, "how selfish are you?! Oh my god!!"

 

Joan had to back out quickly, because Evelyn was throwing things at her now and she went to sit in the living room and cry into her hands, everything was going wrong except her growing relationship with Thomas but he had barely any idea who she was. She had been his Mary-Lou for a long time now but she needed him to love her for who she truly was, not for who he thought she was. She felt confused, this wasn't going the way she had planned it at all and now her children refused to leave if she decided it was time to go. What was she going to do!?

 

One day, about six months later, Joan and Thomas had their first fight. They'd been making love for a while now and Evelyn had become aware of it, she was furious of course but she would just have to deal with it and Joan found that Thomas was becoming increasingly more paranoid lately.

 

"I have seen them, I swear!" Thomas was insisting, "they are watching us, they are planning something Mary-Lou! I know it!"

 

"Enough already!" Joan was fed up and at her wit's end, "my name is Joan! J - O - A - N - JOAN! And there's nobody stalking any of us! You're delusional and paranoid!"

 

"No!" Thomas' forehead creased with worry, "no you must listen to me! Please! Keep the children home from school, Joan, don't let them leave!"

 

"That's what this is all about though, isn't it?" Joan demanded, "you never want anyone to leave and now you want to keep us cooped up inside like you!"

 

Thomas watched her storm out of the room and he leaned against the wall, tears in his eyes as he gazed down at the unmarked car below his window and he closed his eyes for a minute and when he next looked, the car was gone. Maybe he was delusional, how would he know?

 

"Mom, I can't find Aiden!" Evelyn complained, "I'm going to be late for school!"

 

"Just go," Joan ushered her off and out the door, "I'll drive him myself.. Aiden!"

 

Evelyn sighed and left the house, but she never made it to school. The plan had been to kidnap the whole three together, but they were never together and so it'd have to do to grab the kids first, unfortunately, only one left on the day of the planned attack and Evelyn soon found herself bound and gagged in the back of a white van that screeched out of sight and was not seen again.

 

Aiden was hiding in Thomas' office and Joan was unable to locate him, she knew he was still home because he never left without his boots on even in the summertime and those were still sitting by the front door, untouched. She gave up and went upstairs to find Thomas, she had calmed down a bit now and wanted to apologize, especially when she found him close to tears over by the window, right where she had left him earlier.

 

"They've got her," Thomas said softly, "they've got Evelyn."

 

"Shh," Joan comforted him, "she's at school sweetheart, listen I'm sorry I shouted at you okay?"

 

Thomas shrugged her off and moved a little bit further away from her. He picked up the phone closest to him and Joan frowned.

 

"Who are you calling?" she wondered.

 

"We need to get help before they get too far away with her!" Thomas replied urgently, "we can still save her if we hurry."

 

Joan took the phone from his hand, pushing him into the wall when he tried to seize it back from her and Thomas sank the floor, tears now falling down his thin, pale cheeks.

 

"When will you damned insects stop talking long enough to listen?!" Thomas raised his voice to her for the first time, "you never listen!"

 

Joan shook her head, pursed her lips and had to walk away before she engaged into another argument with him.

 

While Joan resumed her search for Aiden, her daughter's body was being dumped in a ditch close by, her throat cut open and her clothes torn and bloodied. She got the news at around four in the afternoon, when several policemen turned up on the doorstep and broke it to her as gently as they could. Joan felt in a daze as they asked her to come and identify the body, the next week was a blur as the funeral was held and Joan isolated herself inside the mansion for days and days. She started drinking Thomas' gin, which he was quite agitated about when he caught her but she realized a while ago that she was somehow much stronger than him so there wasn't a lot he could really do to stop her. She withdrew into herself, lashing out at Aiden when she saw him rocking or flapping his hands, screaming at him to just be normal for once and the boy would startle and cry, running from the room and straight to Thomas, who would easily calm the boy with a soft melody of long ago Anthea sang to him in the alien tongue that Aiden found so soothing. Joan had lost her beautiful daughter, she had failed her and she blamed herself because Thomas had warned her and she had not listened to him.

 

Thomas grieved for the loss of the girl as well, it hit him just as hard for he'd lost his daughter twice and it hurt him quite badly but it also made him extra protective of Aiden and he pulled the boy out of school altogether, insisting upon a private tutor that had been screened and vetted extensively. This put a real dent into the plans of the abductors, for Joan refused to leave the mansion either anymore and it was a long twelve or so years before they finally got their chance again.

 

 

Aiden was celebrating his 21st birthday, he'd grown into a big, strong and muscular man and had learned to function somewhat normally, though he did still harbor some quirks, nobody really took much notice of them. He had graduated with top marks and had grown so close to Thomas that they were never seen apart from one another and Aiden would protect Thomas with his very life. Thomas was so proud of his son, though not a day went by he didn't think of poor Evelyn, he knew they had to move on and continue to be vigilant about being safe.

 

Joan was getting fed up of being indoors all the time, it'd been what, twelve or fourteen years now?

 

"We have all the money in the world!" she ranted at Thomas that morning, "I want to go on a holiday! We've never gone anywhere nice!"

 

Thomas kept his gaze downcast and Aiden frowned at Joan, for he called her this now and no amount of arguing from Joan could make him call her his mother.

 

"It's my birthday, Joan, not yours," Aiden said firmly, "and I want to spend it here, at home, with Dad." 

 

Joan fumed but kept her mouth shut, she knew better than to argue anymore and she just stood up and left the mansion by herself. Thomas uttered a long, low moan of fear and Aiden put his hand upon his dad's shoulder.

 

"She'll be back soon," Aiden reassured him, "she's just upset."

 

But Thomas clawed at the table, he had a very bad feeling in his body and he looked at Aiden with big, sad blue eyes.

 

"If you don't go after her," Thomas cautioned him, "she'll die."

 

Aiden looked towards the open mansion door, extra security had been hired but it was only effective if one stayed within the grounds of the mansion itself and Joan had just continued on walking out onto the streets towards the shops.

 

"I'm not leaving you," Aiden said softly and Thomas closed his eyes.

 

Joan did not return.


	7. Round And Round

Losing his lover was critically painful for Thomas, it was a huge blow to his morale and Aiden was the only one who could keep his father's head above water but even that could not last, for Aiden eventually aged and before Thomas knew it, he was all alone again. His steady decline continued and now there was nobody to stop him from picking up his gun, as Aiden had done several times beforehand, having walked in on Thomas right at the last moment and Thomas had had to hide it from him, suddenly losing his nerve.

 

One day, one of Thomas' advisers paid him a visit and suggested that it was time to move from the mansion, but Thomas refused and stated that he just needed more air conditioners for the summer months. Hell bent on ending it all, but unnerved each time he picked up his gun, Thomas was drinking increasing amounts of gin and was barely even aware of what was actually real anymore, it got to him even worse than it had ever confused him before.

 

 

A couple of years passed after Thomas had buried his son, there came a knock at his door and he opened it slowly. There stood his closest adviser with a hopeful expression, beside her stood a woman in filthy rags and her twin children hid behind her legs, a boy and girl aged no more than five or six. Thomas relaxed his shoulders and smiled faintly, looking to his adviser with a sigh of relief.

 

"Oh good!" Thomas said quietly, "you've found them, I was starting to worry.. "

 

 

 

***


End file.
